fcwilt

Hi Keith, Not trying to be funny here but how about getting a second DR5000 just to simplify things? Given all the capabilities of the DR5000 it seems kind of a waste to just have it run the trains. Or perhaps go ahead and let the DR5000 handle it all for now. Frederick

Hi Rudy, You must really like making videos. I made a couple in the past to demonstrate something that was hard to describe in words but I really cannot say that I enjoyed making it. Good for you - thanks from all of us. Frederick

Thank you very much. Frederick

Hi, I went to the DCC Concepts with site and found the AD1HP. I could not find a link to the manual/data sheet. I really dislike their web site. Do you have that information? Thanks. Frederick

Hi, My layout is fully automated using TrainController Gold. I have the required occupancy sensing and turnout control plus the fun but optional signal and electromagnetic uncoupler control. Now I used all RR-CirKits electronics because of the design, versatility, ease of installation and configuration - not to mention top notch support. I have a fairly complete set of Digikeijs devices because I like the product line and wanted to have a decent knowledge of the devices in case the subject came up. If you like the Digikeijs have you considered using the DR4018 for turnout control? Frederick

Thanks very much. Frederick

Regards iTrain - I see there are several - which version did you purchase? Thanks again. Good information to file away. Frederick

Hi, Great info. Did the "power district cutouts" and the "auto reverse module" have to meet certain criteria to work with Railcom? When you were looking at computer software did you research TrainController? If so what things made you choose iTrain? Thanks much. Frederick

Hi, I am not familiar with Railmaster but there is a first rate application that will do what you want and has support for the ECoS system. http://www.freiwald.com/pages/traincontroller.htm Frederick

Hi, Why do you have that NEG output? What are you using to connect the output to each block? And when does this failure occur? Are trains crossing from one block on one power source to another block on a different power source? Frederick

If the loco has a 8 pin socket and nothing is plugged into the socket the loco should do nothing and be silent. So when you say "the chip is taken out" exactly what are you doing? Frederick

I didn't see any mention of the actual material being used to make this product conductive. Try adding some more to those wheel sets that are reading high. I had to do that with the carbon based product I tried. Frederick

Hi, What type of conductive paint are you using? I was using a silver based product that worked great but recently became very expensive. I am now trying a carbon based product but it requires greater attention to application to keep the resistance of the carbon low. For all I know it might be possible to use just the carbon based paint if one was willing to fiddle about with the amount applied. Frederick

Hi Nigel, I am using a DR5000 with the 1.4.4 BETA firmware. Frederick

Hi, Well I followed the steps on page 14 (English) of the v1.34 PDF file. The device behaved exactly as described. Have you tried a factory reset (writing 8 to CV8) ? Frederick

Thanks. I will try this procedure on my DR4024 and see what result I get. Frederick

Hi, Did you set the speed to 0 and turn off loco functions F1, F2, F3 and F4 before selecting the desired servo? Frederick

I give up. You are missing the point.

You don't need to know the value of the short address in CV1 if you simply want to change it. You DO need to know the value in CV29 if you wish, say, to to start using the Speed Table but leave everything else alone. As I said IF you know in advance the desired value of every bit in CV29 you could just write it. There is a fundamental difference between CVs that contain just one piece of information and those that contain multiple pieces of information. Frederick

Hi, Consider CV1 - it contains one value - the short address. If you wish to change the short address to, say, 55, you have only to program CV1 to 55 and you are done. CV29 on the other hand is perhaps the most common CV that gets changed which contains multiple, independent pieces of information. For instance bit 5 is set to one to use the long address, bit 4 is set to one to enable the use of the speed table. If you wish to enable using a long address yet leave the other bits alone you need to read the current value in CV29, set bit 5 of that value to a one and then write that updated value back to CV29. Certainly if you know what values you wish to set for each of the possible bits you can just write CV29. But the programming tools I have used all read CV29 first when changing it. YMMV. Frederick

And then you have those cases, like CV29, where the command station has to read the current value in order to change one or more bits while leaving others alone. That could be fun. Frederick

Using the "programming track" means the command station will try to read back the value of the CV being programmed. You can imagine what might happen with multiple locos responding at the same time. Using "programming on the main" requires specifying the address of the loco to change - so naturally you cannot change multiple locos at one time. Frederick

Interesting concept... Or you could do what has been done in the real word and implement a "on demand" rack system to handle tough grades. Frederick

The LocoNet based DR4088LN sends messages to the command station/computer when occupancy status changes. The have to be programmed to insure they send the correct messages. The DR4088CS however is based on the S88 protocol. These devices require the command station/computer to query them as to occupancy status. As such it is usually necessary to configure the controlling device with the number of sensors to query. Typically it is enough to specify the number of 8 bit S88 devices and the number of 16 bit S88 devices you have connected. The ECoS manual seems to indicate the devices need to be entered in the order you have them connected. If you don't use all of the inputs the controlling device will simply waste a little bit of time querying unused inputs. The DR4088CS (and the others in the family) do not have a programming button as there is nothing to program. "Programming" them consists of connecting them in the desired order. Frederick

Thank you for the link. I still don't understand what the poster was trying to say. Frederick